Damping arrangement for an axle of a motor vehicle

Abstract

Damping arrangement of an active chassis for an axle of a vehicle. A damping system cooperates with each wheel. Each of the damping systems has a damper having a double-acting hydraulic cylinder and a piston, a reversible hydraulic pump and an electric motor, and a hydraulic unit having a hydraulic reservoir and valves. The hydraulic pump and the hydraulic unit of the respective damping system cooperate with the hydraulic cylinder thereof such that, dependent upon the conveying direction of the hydraulic pump, a movement of the piston in a first actuation direction or in a second actuation direction can be provided. The electric motors of both damping systems are connected to and drivable by a common control device. A position sensor is associated with each electric motor to acquire the rotor position of the respective electric motor. A pressure sensor is associated with each hydraulic pump to acquire a pressure.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A damping arrangement of an active chassis for an axle of a motor vehicle, said damping arrangement comprising:
 (a) damping systems that cooperate with respective wheels of the axle, wherein each damping system comprises:
 (i) a damper having a double-acting hydraulic cylinder and a piston, wherein the damper is configured to be coupled to a wheel suspension system of the respective wheel, 
 (ii) a hydraulic pump and an electric motor for driving the respective hydraulic pump, wherein the hydraulic pump is a reversible pump which is configured to be driven by the electric motor in different directions of rotation to provide different conveying directions, and 
 (iii) a hydraulic unit having a hydraulic reservoir and valves, wherein the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic unit of the respective damping system cooperate with hydraulic chambers of the hydraulic cylinder of the respective damping system in such a way that, dependent upon the conveying direction of the hydraulic pump of the hydraulic unit, the piston can be moved in either a first actuating direction or in a second actuating direction, 
 
 (b) a common control device to which the electric motors of both the damping systems are connected, wherein the common control device is configured to control operation of the electric motors, 
 (c) a position sensor associated with each electric motor for detecting a rotor position of the respective electric motor, the position sensor being connected to the common control device, and 
 (d) at least one pressure sensor associated with each hydraulic pump for acquiring a pressure, the at least one pressure sensor being connected to the common control device, 
 wherein the common control device comprises a developer interface having access to the electric motors and/or the position sensor and/or the pressure sensor. 
 
     
     
       2. The damping arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein two pressure sensors are each associated with each hydraulic pump to acquire a respective pressure, the two pressure sensors comprising:
 a first pressure sensor for acquiring a pressure downstream of the respective hydraulic pump, when viewed in the conveying direction of the respective hydraulic pump, and 
 a second pressure sensor for acquiring a pressure upstream of the respective hydraulic pump, when viewed in the conveying direction of the respective hydraulic pump. 
 
     
     
       3. The damping arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensors provide respective measuring signals to the common control device which drives the respective electric motor as a function of the measuring signals. 
     
     
       4. The damping arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the position sensors provide respective measuring signals to the common control device which drives the respective electric motor as a function of the measuring signals. 
     
     
       5. The damping arrangement according to  claim 4 , wherein the common control device is configured to (i) determine a direction of rotation of the respective electric motor from the measuring signals of the position sensors and (ii) drive the respective electric motor as a function of the determined direction of rotation. 
     
     
       6. The damping arrangement according to  claim 4 , wherein the common control device is configured to (i) determine from the measuring signals of the position sensors a speed of rotation of the respective electric motor and (ii) drive the respective electric motor as a function of the determined speed of rotation. 
     
     
       7. The damping arrangement according to  claim 4 , wherein the common control device is configured to (i) determine from the measuring signals of the position sensors a gradient over time of the speed of rotation of the respective electric motor and (ii) drive the respective electric motor as a function of the determined gradient over time of the speed of rotation. 
     
     
       8. A motor vehicle having multiple axles, wherein the damping arrangement according to  claim 1  is associated with each axle. 
     
     
       9. The damping arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the developer interface has access to the electric motors, the position sensor and the pressure sensor. 
     
     
       10. The damping arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein a first side of the hydraulic pump is fluidly connected to a first chamber of said hydraulic chambers of the hydraulic cylinder via a first hydraulic line and a second side of the hydraulic pump is fluidly connected to a second chamber of said hydraulic chambers of the hydraulic cylinder via a second hydraulic line, wherein the first and second chambers of the hydraulic cylinder are delimited by the piston that is disposed within the hydraulic cylinder. 
     
     
       11. The damping arrangement according to  claim 10 , wherein a third hydraulic line fluidly interconnects the first and second hydraulic lines, and wherein at least one of said valves is a first damping valve that is directly and fluidly connected to the third hydraulic line. 
     
     
       12. The damping arrangement according to  claim 11 , wherein a fourth hydraulic line interconnects the first and second hydraulic lines, and wherein the third and fourth hydraulic lines are fluidly interconnected together by a fifth hydraulic line. 
     
     
       13. The damping arrangement according to  claim 12 , wherein at least one of said valves is a first check valve that is directly and fluidly connected to the fourth hydraulic line. 
     
     
       14. The damping arrangement according to  claim 13 , wherein a second check valve is directly and fluidly connected to the fourth hydraulic line, and wherein said first and second check valves are disposed on opposite sides of an intersection point connecting the fourth and fifth hydraulic lines. 
     
     
       15. The damping arrangement according to  claim 12 , wherein the hydraulic reservoir is directly and fluidly connected to the fifth hydraulic line. 
     
     
       16. The damping arrangement according to  claim 11 , wherein a second damping valve is directly and fluidly connected to the third hydraulic line, and said first damping valve and said second damping valve are disposed on opposite sides of an intersection point connecting the third and fifth hydraulic lines. 
     
     
       17. The damping arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the developer interface is a port disposed on the common control device via which an external computer can be connected. 
     
     
       18. The damping arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one pressure sensor is directly connected to the common control device via a first signal line, and the position sensor is directly connected to the common control device via a second signal line. 
     
     
       19. The damping arrangement according to  claim 18 , wherein the electric motor is directly connected to the common control device via phase lines. 
     
     
       20. The damping arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the common control device is a singular unit.